The present invention described herein relates to a process, method and device and generally relates to toys and novelties and, more particularly, is concerned with an illusion device that can be used by a puppeteer and can be usable in conjunction with a puppet. Puppets adapted to be positioned over the forearm and hand of a puppeteer and manipulated by the puppeteer's hand and fingers have long been known in the art. Some representative examples of puppets of this type are the ones disclosed in U.S. patents to Lemieux (U.S. Pat. No. 1,641,175) and Snyder (U.S. Pat. No. 2,795,896). Puppets of this general type share one common characteristic in that no attempt is made to hide the fact that the puppeteer's forearm is supporting the puppet and his or her hand and fingers are being used to manipulate or animate the puppet.
More recently, several puppets have appeared which share a characteristic that is just the opposite of those mentioned above. Specifically, these puppets attempt to intentionally create the illusion that the puppeteer's hand is being used solely to grasp the puppet or his or her arm is being used solely to support an object upon which the puppet is standing. Thus, the appearance or illusion projected to witnesses by these puppets is that the puppeteer's hand or arm cannot possibly be the means by which the puppet is being manipulated and so a mystery is created as to how the puppet is being worked.
Puppets having this characteristic in common are disclosed in US. Patents to Baiera (U.S. Pat. No. 4,304,065), Edmonds (U.S. Pat. No. 3,526,990) and Axtell (U.S. Pat. No. 4,824,097). In addition, Rod Hull and his crazy bird Emu were hugely popular on British TV in the 70's and 80's. Hull's puppet was aided by the simple yet effective illusion from a fake arm attached to his jacket, which cradled the emu, therefore making it appear that the neck and head moved of its own volition. Furthermore, HouseHaunters sells costumes that come with puppets where a long-sleeve costume worn by the puppeteer serves as part of a fake arm. This creates the illusion that these puppets are being held by the puppeteer while the puppeteer's real arm is actually being used to manipulate the puppet. Furthermore, Kaelin and Dunn (G.B. Pat. No. 1515100A) describe a puppet doll where the puppeteer can place his or her real hands into the puppet from behind the puppet while fake hands from the puppeteer, which are attached to the puppets dolls shoulders, give it the appearance of being held.
Puppets with these illusion designs certainly take a step in the right direction toward increasing the entertainment quality or value of the puppets in general. However, the parts that make up the illusion, such as the attachment point between the puppet and puppeteer's clothing are made immovable and ridged. The result is a puppet that cannot always have a natural looking position or movement. Furthermore, the lack of a detachable means between the puppet and the puppeteer's clothing, makes it difficult for the puppeteer to change the clothing worn while wearing the puppet and does not give the puppeteer the option of switching to a different arm to manipulate the puppet.
In some embodiments of the present invention the problems mentioned above are overcome. These and other advantages will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon a reading of the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the drawings wherein there is shown and described an illustrative embodiment of a puppet-fake arm device.